The next RYLA retreat is 23 to 29 November 2025.

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The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program is awarded to young and aspiring community leaders by local Rotary Clubs. To receive the award, nominees attend a weeklong residential conference focusing on leadership fundamentals and developing our next generation of community leaders.

Days

Soft skills developed

Expert presenters

Young people attended

RYLA gives participants the invaluable space to reflect on themselves. The program brings together a selection of experts in their fields to deliver topics and interactive sessions including:

Networking

Planning and organising

Empathy and resilience

Self-management

Communication

Teamwork

Problem solving

Goal setting

Conflict resolution

Global leadership

Initiative

Reflective learning

Formal qualifications and technical skills are only part of the requirements for modern employees. RYLA works to develop ‘soft skills’ and personal attributes that are shown to be just as important to success. The value of these soft skills are outlined in a recent report by Deloitte Access Economics and Deakin Co, see: Soft skills for business success.

RYLA’s Values are Rotary’s Values.

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Service

We believe that our service activities and programs bring about greater world understanding and peace. Service is a major element of our mission. Through the plans and actions of individual clubs, we create a culture of service throughout our organization that provides unparalleled satisfaction for those who serve.

Fellowship

We believe that individual efforts focus on individual needs, but combined efforts serve humanity. The power of combined efforts knows no limitation, multiplies resources, and broadens our lives and perspectives. Fellowship leads to tolerance and transcends racial, national, and other boundaries.

Diversity

We believe Rotary unifies all people internationally behind the ideal of service. We encourage diversity of people within our membership and in our activities and service work. A club that reflects its community is a club with a key to its future.

Integrity

We are committed to and expect accountability from our leaders and fellow members, both in the results of our efforts and in the processes we use to accomplish our goals. We adhere to high ethical and professional standards in our work and personal relationships. We are fair and respectful in our interactions, and we conscientiously steward the resources entrusted to us.

Leadership

We are a global fellowship of individuals who are leaders in their fields of endeavor. We believe in the importance of leadership development and in leadership as a quality of our members. As Rotarians, we are leaders in implementing our core values.

RYLA sees a world where young adults have the skills to unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves.

 As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

We wish to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are hold RYLA, the Dja Dja Wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, who for tens of thousands of years, sustained healthy communities and wisely managed the resources of these lands. We pay our respects to the Elders, past and present, and welcome the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as we shape a future in which all thrive. We acknowledge that Aboriginal self-determination is a human right and recognise the hard work of many generations of Aboriginal people.

We are committed to safe and inclusive policies, and services for people from LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Our program

Day 1

  • Board the bus
  • Welcome to Doxa and RYLA
  • Lunch
  • Meet the team and participants
  • Dinner
  • Guest speakers
  • Individual reflection time and yarning circle

Day 2

  • Wake-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Guest speaker
  • Lunch
  • Guest speaker
  • Team project introduction
  • Dinner
  • Individual reflection time and yarning circle
  • Project preperation time

Day 3

  • Wake-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Guest speaker
  • Lunch
  • Guest speaker
  • Prepare and deliver team project
  • Yarning circle

Day 4

  • Wake-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Guest speaker
  • Lunch
  • Team challenge
  • Hunger banquet
  • Individual reflection time and yarning circle
  • Community night

Day 5

  • Wake-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Team challenges
  • Lunch
  • Team challenges
  • Dinner
  • Individual reflection time and yarning circle
  • Mind, body, spirit night

Day 6

  • Wake-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Individual challenges
  • Lunch
  • Guest speaker
  • Dinner
  • Individual reflection time and yarning circles
  • Yarning group challenge night

Day 7

  • Wake-up, pack-up, breakfast and warm-ups
  • Yarning circle
  • Individual reflection time and lunch
  • Big yarning circle
  • Presentation cerremony
  • Goodbye

PGT programs are an integral part of the RYLA team. They take the RYLA cohort to a new level of team development through a range of leadership challenges. Challenge-by-choice and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone.

The experiential activities run by PGT bring all of the content together and gives the participants a chance to practice what they have learnt from the speakers.

RYLA empowers and inspires young adults to become changemakers who are driven by personal development and professional excellence.

The RYLA PhD

The RYLA PhD

Evaluating the psychological outcomes of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) A paper prepared by Dr Tim Edwards-Hart 2009-2011 at RMIT University. The Research Questions In Rotary District 9790, Australia, RYLA is a 7-day leadership conference for young adults...

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About Rotary

About Rotary

Rotary is where neighbours, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change. Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action...

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History of RYLA

History of RYLA

In 1959, the State Government of Queensland invited local Rotary Clubs to help plan an event to help celebrate the upcoming centennial of the state. Princess Alexandra, who was in her early 20s was due to attend the celebrations, so activities were planned...

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The RYLA Team

Linda Gidlund

Linda Gidlund

Chairperson

Grant Godino

Grant Godino

Logistics Director

Greg "Beans" Adams

Greg "Beans" Adams

Treasurer

Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones

Secretary

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